GB2274571A

GB2274571A - Plant support

Info

Publication number: GB2274571A
Application number: GB9401923A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marcus Julian Dodd
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-02-01
Filing date: 1994-02-01
Publication date: 1994-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-01
Also published as: GB9401923D0; GB2274571B; GB9301918D0

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for retaining a plant support cane 26 stake comprises a ring (12) of U-shaped cross section for circumferential "snap-on" engagement with the rim of a plant container. The ring may have a break. Extending inwardly from the ring is one or more arms 20 formed with aperture 24 to receive the stake. <IMAGE>

Description

PLANT SUPPORT This invention relates to plant support. More particularly although not exclusively, the invention relates to supporting plants growing in containers such as plant pots.

Previous proposals for supporting plants during growth have included the use of stakes, canes, "moss poles", trellises etc. The use of such supports necessarily requires that they be inserted into the growing medium in which the plant is growing as close to the plant as possible. This often results in damage to the root system of the plant. In addition, such support means depend upon the firmness of the growing medium for their stability and can become loose and move within the growing medium under the loading imposed by the plant, the benefit of the support thus being lost.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for attachment to a plant container for plant support which provides improvements in relation to one or more matters discussed herein or generally.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for attachment to a plant container for plant support as defined in the accompanying claims.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided apparatus for attachment to a plant container for plant support adapted to be attached to the rim of a plant container and which has an inwardly extending limb projecting inwardly of the container from the wall, the limb being adapted to receive a stake or similar plant support device such that the apparatus holds the plant support stake firmly to the rim of the container.

In the preferred embodiment the apparatus may be of plastics material in the form of a ring. The ring may be substantially of U-shaped cross section having inter-linked limbs which positively engage with the rim of the plant container by a "clip-on" or "snap-on" action whereby the limbs of the U-shaped cross section straddle the rim of the container.

Engagement of the apparatus with the rim of the container may be enhanced by providing engagement means in the form of ribs, ridges and the like on the innermost face of the U-shaped cross section which is in contact with the walls of the plant container thus increasing the frictional grip of the apparatus around the rim of the plant container and reducing any tendency for the apparatus to move laterally around the rim.

Also in the preferred embodiment the ring may be formed with a break so that the apparatus can be expanded by flexing the ring so as to open up the break. As a result, the apparatus can be fitted onto a plant container, which already contains a growing plant, from the side and around the plant rather than needing to bring the apparatus down over the plant from above, thus avoiding damage to the plant. In addition, the apparatus can be expanded to fit a variety of plant container sizes.

The inwardly projecting limb is formed integrally with the ring and is adapted at its innermost end to receive a plant support stake. The stake may be received in a housing which retains it in a substantially vertical attitude and which prevents it from entering the growing medium unless this is specifically required. The base of the housing in contact with the end of the stake once received in the housing is sufficiently thin to permit the stake to be forced through the base of the housing and into the growing medium. The housing may be formed with engagement means such as teeth, ribs, ridges etc on the inner most faces to securely retain the stake so as to resist relative movement between the housing and the stake. Alternatively, the stake may be retained in an aperture formed on the innermost end of the inwardly projecting limb.

In the preferred embodiment the innermost end of the inwardly extending limb is positioned off-centre of the container so as to allow the stake to be positioned as close to the plant, normally planted in the centre of the container, as possible. The limb may also be positioned below the rim of the container so as to be hidden from eye level view and also it can be covered with growing medium and thus removed from sight.

In the preferred embodiment as a result of the circumferential engagement of the apparatus to the rim of a plant container, the load applied to the apparatus by the plant to be supported is taken by the plant container itself and not the stake alone, nor is the load concentrated on one small region of the container. As such, the plant, container and supporting stake are more stable and thus less likely to topple over.

In a further embodiment of the invention means for receiving the stake may be defined by two, three or more inwardly extending limbs which are co-joined at their innermost ends. The housing or aperture to receive the stake is formed in the region where the limbs co-join. This region is also positioned offcentre of the plant container.

In a still further embodiment of the invention there is provided a plant container having apparatus attached around the rim of the container and which has at least one limb projecting inward of the container from the wall, said limb being adapted to receive a stake or the like plant support.

One aspect of the invention provides apparatus for attachment to a plant container providing mounting means for receiving a stake or the like plant support.

The apparatus extends in a peripheral direction around the upper edge of the plant container, whether of circular or other form. The apparatus is adapted to clip or otherwise engage the edge or rim of the plant container. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the apparatus is provided with an inwardly extending arm or arms having mounting means to receive a stake or the like. The mounting means permits the stake to be supported without needing to enter the plant growing medium in the container. A further aspect of the invention provides for the peripherally extending apparatus to have an opening to enable it nevertheless to be introduced around an already growing or planted plant.

Embodiments of the invention, will now be described, by way of example, by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig 1 is a plan view of a first apparatus according to the invention; Fig 2 illustrates a plan view of a modification of the apparatus of Fig 1; Fig 3 illustrates a perspective view of the plant container, a still further modification of the apparatus of Fig 1 and Fig 2, together with a plant support stake; Fig 4 illustrates a sectional detail of the ring of the apparatus generally; Fig 5 illustrates sectional detail of the ring of the apparatus along the line I-I of Figs 1 and 2; Fig 6 illustrate a further sectional detail along the line II-II of Figs 1 and 2; and Fig 7 illustrates a perspective view of a section of the inwardly extending limb and housing.

Considering Figs 1, 2 and 3, the plant container apparatus 10 is of resilient plastics material, (for example, extruded polypropylene) being in the form of a ring 12. The ring 12 may be formed with a break 23.

Break 23 may be opened by flexing ring 12 so as to expand apparatus 10. The ring 10 is formed from substantially U-shaped cross section. The U-shaped cross section has two limbs 14 and 16 linked by a bridging portion 18. Formed integrally with and extending inwardly from limb 16 is a mounting arm 20.

The innermost end 22 of arm 20 is formed with a mounting 24 in the form of a sleeve to receive a stake. As shown in Fig 2 and Fig 3, two or more arms 20 may project inwardly from limb 16, such arms are co-joined at their innermost ends and the mounting 24 is formed in the region where the limbs co-join. In use, a plant support stake 26 is received in said mounting and maintained in a substantially vertical attitude.

The innermost end 22 of arm 20 or the region of co-joining arms 20 may also be formed with an aperture (not shown) to receive a plant support stake. The mounting 24 or aperture (not shown) are positioned off-centre of the plant container.

Fig 4 shows further details of the U-shaped cross section forming the ring 12 of apparatus 10. Limb 16 is longer than the limb 14 with bridging portion 18 inter linking the two limbs. The inner face of limb 16 may be formed with engagement means 30, 32 as shown in Figs 5 and 6.

In use, the apparatus 10 is engaged with the rim of a plant container 28 by a "clip-on" or "snap-on action. The ring 12 is placed on the rim of the plant container 28 and portion 18 is pushed down so that the limbs 14 and 16 straddle the rim and engagement means 30, 32 retain it resiliently around the rim of the container 30.

Once in position, a plant support cane 26 may be introduced into the mounting 24 formed in inwardly extending arm 20. As shown in Fig 7, the mounting extends substantially vertically with a bore 34 to receive the plant support stake 26. The innermost faces 36 of the bore may be provided with suitable engagement means such as teeth (not shown) to grip the stake 26. The base 38 of the mounting 24 is closed to prevent the stake 26 from entering the growing medium unless the user positively so desires. The housing 24 maintains the plant support stake 26 in a substantially vertical attitude, off-centre of the plant container while the apparatus 10 anchors it to the rim of the plant container 28.

Once in position, the apparatus provides means for retaining a plant support stake close to the stem of the plant to be supported without causing damage to the plant root system. The plant can be further secured to the stake by ties if required.

In the above embodiments the invention provides an inexpensive, convenient, flexible and reliable aid to plant growing which can be pleasing to the eye and avoids damage to and hence cost too expensive in popular house plants. In addition, the apparatus can be removed thus making the apparatus re-useable.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1 Apparatus for attachment to a plant container which provides means for receiving a stake or the like plant support whereby the plant support is secured to the container characterised in that said apparatus is in the form of a ring for circumferential engagement with the ring of said plant container.

2 Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said ring is formed from a generally U-shaped cross section so as to straddle the rim of said plant container.

3 Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the ring is retained on the rim of said plant container by a "clip-on" or snapping engagement.

4 Apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein engaging means of a shape suitable to engage the ring to the rim of the plant container are provided on the innermost faces of the U-shaped cross section.

5 Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a break is provided in the ring so that the apparatus can be expanded by flexing the ring so as to open up the break.

6 Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for receiving a stake is in the form of an arm extending inwardly from said ring.

7 Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the innermost end of the inwardly extending arm is located off-centre of the plant container.

8 Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a stake is received in a mounting formed on the innermost end of said inwardly projecting arm, said stake being received substantially at right angles to the plane of said ring.

9 Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein engagement means of a shape suitable to engage a stake are provided on the inner faces of the mounting.

10 Apparatus according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the base of said mounting is sufficiently thin so as to permit a stake to be pushed through the mounting and into the growing medium.

11 Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the innermost end of said inwardly extending arm is formed with an aperture for receiving a stake.

12 Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein means for receiving a stake is defined by at least two limbs inwardly extending from the ring and being co-joined at the innermost ends.

13 Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said housing or aperture to receive a plant support stake is formed in the region where the limbs co-join, said region being located off-centre of the plant container.

14 Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims formed of resilient plastics material.

15 Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims in combination with a container of suitable size and shape for receiving the apparatus.

16 Apparatus for attachment to a plant container substantially hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17 Apparatus for attachment to a plant container to provide means for receiving a stake or the like plant support, said apparatus being adapted for mounting engagement with the periphery of a plant container and comprising an inwardly extending arm having mounting means to receive a stake, said mounting means being adapted to support said stake without the need for said stake to enter a growing medium within the plant container.

18 Apparatus for attachment to a plant container which provides means for receiving a stake or the like plant support whereby the plant support is secured to the container characterised in that said apparatus extends perpherially of the plant container in use and in mounting engagement therewith.